Heel lift protector



y 23, 1944- E. B. VAN SANT j 2,349,479

- HEEL LIFT PROTECTOR Filed. Dec. 4, 1941 IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 23, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEEL Lrirr PROTECTOR Edith B. vanjsant, Hollywood, Calif. Application December 4', 1941, Serial No. 421,637 2 emails. 36-73) This invention relates to a heel lift protector for footwear and has for an object to provide a protector in the form of a split band of angular cross section adapted to be applied with the vertical portion thereof in contact with the sides of a heel and with the horizontal portion thereof in contact with the lower surface of the bottom lift of the heel to form a wear plate to receive wear instead of the wear occurring on the bottom lift of the heel, and thus promote the good appearance and comfortable wearing properties of footwear.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which may be applied by any unskilled person at any time as a repair or may be built into footwear in course of manufacture.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of. construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a heel lift protector constructed in accordance with the invention, in applied position on the heel.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the heel lift protector shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the heel lift protector, drawn to large scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the heel lift protector drawn to large scale, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the modified form of heel lift protector, the same being devoid of corrugations and pointed teeth and having apertures through which securing nails may be engaged to apply the device to a heel.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective View of another modified form of heel lift protector in which the nail receiving openings are formed in the,

front of the vertical portion of the protector instead of in the horizontal portion of the protector as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, the heel lift protector comprises a split band I0 of right angular formation in cross section having pointed teeth ll struck up from the inner edge of the horizontal portion of the protector and having the vertical portion of the protector corrugated as shown at I2. In this form of the invention the split band extends entirely around the heel to approximately the center of the front wall of the heel, see Figure 2, and when applied to a heel, the vertical portion of the protector contacts with the sides of the heel and the horizontal portion thereof contacts with the lower surface of the heel, or

bottom lift of the heel. The pointed teeth are forced to penetrate the bottom lift and prevent dislodgment of the protector when in use.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Figures 5 and 6 in which the protector I2 is formed of a split band of right angular cross section having nail receiving openings 13 in the horizontal portion of the band instead of teeth as heretofore described. In this form of the in= vention also the vertical portion of the split band is smooth, that is, is devoid of corrugations. The split band is applied as heretofore described with the vertical portion thereof contacting with the sides of the heel and the horizontal portion thereof contacting with the lower surface or bottom lift of the heel, nails being driven through the openings l3 to secure the device to the heel.

Another modified form of the invention is shown in Figure 7 in which the protector is in the form of a split band l4 of right angular cross section, provided only in the front transverse portion of the vertical portion with nail receiving openings l5 so that the device need be attached only to the front side of the heel instead of nails being driven through the horizontal portion of the band into the bottom of the heel.

of the endless band may be dispensed with if desired so that the band will terminate at the ends at the front corners of the heel and either teeth or nail receiving openings may be formed on the band as heretofore described.

In all instances the split bad will provide a protective wall around the sides of the bottom of the heel and across the bottom of the lower lift of the heel to take up wear and prevent the heel becoming worn at any localized point, thus assuring the long life, good appearance and com- In some instances the front transverse portions fortable wearing qualities of the footwear to which it may be attached.

In practice the protector may be formed of composition material, or metal, or other suitable material having wear resisting characteristics at least equaling, but preferably superior to that of leather.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation. I f What is claimed is:

1. In a heel protector, a split resilient band .of angular cross section, said band having a bottom flange disposed to lie fiat against the edge margin of the bottom face of a heel, an upstanding flange disposed to embrace the lower part of the peripheral surface of a heel, said upstanding flange being corrugated to provide transverse ridges, and means for fastening the said band to a heel.

2. In a heel protector, a. split resilient band of 4 angular cross section, said band having a bottom flange disposed to lie fiat against the edge margin of the bottom face of a heel, an upstanding flange disposed to embrace the lower part of the peripheral surface of a heel, said upstanding flange being corrugated to provide transverse ridges, and a plurality of pointed teeth bent upwardly from the inner edge of the bottom flange at spaced intervals adapted to be driven into the bottom of a heel for fastening the band thereon.

, EDITH B. VAN SANT. 

